Automobile signal switch



sept. 7, 1926. 19,598,932

, J. M. PETTUS AUTOMOBILE S IGNAL SWITCH Filed Oct. 27, 1924 HTS @noz-Hup switches Ami in -nected with the brake ,ment thereof. p

Panama sepav, 1926.

PATENT OFFICE.

somt' 1r. rm'rUs-or' oirramo, camomna.

AUTOIOBILE SIGNAL SWITCH.

application mea cammla1, im. semi n. 1441,15'1.

My invention relates-to improvements in stop and turning signals suc switches being coninechanism or with art of the maosed by movefor automobiles,

any other suitable movable chineto be automatically c Switches of the type t which I have referred, commonly 'employ relatively stationary and movable members having `11o-acting contacts which are normally se ara by means of a spring. The movab e member is connected by elastic means with the brake mechanism or some the machine and the stationa membe rigidly secured to the frame, oor or some ot er stationary part of the vehicle. Switches installed in this manner, ve often bind and as no lateral movement of t e stamanner of tionary member is rmitted, vaccurate engagement of the -iixe and movabley contacts, very often fails to take place. It is hence, one object of my invention-to im rove upon switches for automobile si als, y providing anchoring means for e relatively vstationary member of the switch, of such nature l as to permit free lateral movement, of said member in all directions. Thus, possible binding of the switch is prevented and accurate contact engagement is insured, thus producing a more sensitiveu and more eicient switch.

Another aim ofthe invention .is to pro- -vide an extremely simple and inexpensive switch structure.

With the` foregoing in view, the invention resides in the novel `subject matter hereinafter described and claimed, the description being supplemented by the accompanying drawing.

Figure 1 is a side elevationshowing the installing the switch.

Figures 2 and 3 are central lon 'tudinal sectional views cutii'lilplanes at tangles to 'each other and ustrating e switch open. -Figure 4 is another longitudinal sectional 'view, showing the switch in its closed p0 j sition.

linIe`--f-5ofFig3.1V l,

' igure 6 is afr'men sectiona perspective showing a ightllltferent form of Figure 5 is a transverse sectional view on construction. v l Y v 'The drawing above briefly described. il, lustrates preferred. features of commotion other movable part of evident, the insulating vinner en numeral 9, but is indicated hold the contactring and disk the outsetthat within the scope of the invention as claimed modifications may be made. y

'1 `.he numeral 1 designates an elongated cylindrical, metal casing rw-l1 i se ends are referably closedrby appropriate end i'eirs 1- and 1" respectively, said endmembers being secured to the cylindrical wall 'of the casing, in any preferred manner. A air of binding posts 2 are shown passing rou h the wall of the casing 1', at diametrica y opposite points, these binding posts. being suitably insulated from the metallic casin structure.u In the form of construction lustrated in Figs. 2 to 5, an insulating sleeve 3 is disposed in the casinguiln contact with its side wall, and the bin posts 2 pass through this sleeve, said posts aving curved heads 4 at their inner v ends which consti- 'tute stationary contacts. Diferently shaped heads 4*. areyshown onthe bindingposts 2,V

in the-form of construction shown in Fig. 6, and for .reasons to be hereinafter become sleeve 3 is omitted in this last named form insulating plunger is slidable within ing, said plunger preferabl 'comp disk of insulation, this disk ing identi ed in i most figures of .the drawing, by the numeral 5, while it is indicated at 5* in Fig. 6.@ The disk 5 or 5*,'as the casemay be, is provided with a central slot 6, in which the inner end of a plunger-operatin meniber 7 is secured, said member the casrisin a longitudinally spht, and oppositely bent .to provide lugs 8 which engage 'the isk and revent the strip from vwithdrawing there roin. Contacting with the side of the disk op lsite the lugs 8,' is a contact ring which is 1 entiied in mostfgires by the in ig. 6 at 9*. The contact ring is `preferably stam v from sheet'metal and to secure'it in p ace u n the disk, its peripheral edge is provide with laterally stamped are clinched around theperipheral portion of the disk, said disk having notches 11 of suitable depth to receive the tongues and opening 6,

relative circumferential creeping. e ring 9 or 9* does not contact with the operatin member 7, it .being provided l'with a cen opening 12 whose edge-is spaced around said IISl ofv construction. An

.re erably consistin of a flat strip of metal aving its exteiided entirely through the claws 10 which a operating member, so that the disk 5 or 5a serves to insulate said member from the ring.

The peripheral portion of the ring 9 is adapted to bridge the gap between the contacts 4, when the plunger is moved to the position shown in Fig. et, the edge of said ring and the edge of the plunger 5, then sliding along the insulating sleeve 3. lVhen the construction of Fig. 6 is employed, the peripheral edge of the disk 5 slidably engages the wall of the casing 1, but the ring 9 is of such a diameter as to prevent its edge from touching said wall. This edge however is adapted to engage the stationary contacts LP, as will be clear from Fig. 6. Thus, it will be seen that Fig. 6 discloses a simplified modification of the invention, in that the disk 5a not only insulates the ring 9a from the operating member 7, but also insulates said ring from the wall of the casing.

The operating member 7, above referred to, passes through a slot 13 in the end member 1b and is held against turning by this slot, and due to the fact that the walls of the opening or slot 6 snugly engage said operating member, the disk 5 or 5a is held against turning, and the tongues or claws 10 prevent turning of the ring 9 or 9a with respect to the disk.

A coiled compression spring 14 is housed within the casing 1, around the operating member 7, one end of said spring abutting the end member lb of the casing, while its other end engages an insulating washer 15 which contacts with the ring 9 or 9a. This spring exerts its force to normally hold the switch in the open position disclosed in Figs. 2 and 3, but it of course compresses to permit closing of the switch as seen in Fig. 4, when the member 7 is pulled outwardly.

Provision is made for connecting the casin(r 1 with a-stationary part of an automobile, so that it may have free lateral movement in all directions. In the present showing, an anchoring wire 16 is loosely connected at 17 to the end member 3, this wire being attached to the vehicle at 18. An elastic connection is provided between the member 7 and a part 19 of the brake mechanism, or with some other desired movable part of the machine, said elastic connection'preferably comprising a coiled tension spring 20 and a wire 21. The spring 2O has greater strength than the spring 14, so that when the member 19 moves, spring 20 will pull upon the operating member 7 to close the switch. Then, upon further movement of said member 19, the spring 20 will stretch.

By connecting the switch with the vehicle in or substantially in the manner shown and described, there 1s no danger of any parts of the switch binding, as lateral shifting of saidswitch is permitted to allow for any inaccuracies in the movements of parts, thus insuring accurate contact engagement under all conditions.

It will be seen from the foregoing that the device is simple and inexpensive, may be easily installed, and that it will be highly efficient and desirable. As excellent results have been obtained from the details disclosed, they' are preferably followed, but within-the scope ot' the invention as claimed, modifications may of course be made, as above pointed out.

I claim 1. A switch comprising a cylindrical casing wall having substantially opposed internal contacts insulated from each other, closures for the ends of said wall, one of said closures having an elongated central slot, an insulating disk slidably received in said wall and having an elongated central slot, said disk also having circumferentially spaced notches in its peripheral edge, a flat contact ring engaging the side of said insulating disk adjacent said one closure and having integral circumferentially spaced claws at its edge clinched around the insu` lating disk and seated in the aforesaid notches, said contact ring having an internal diameter greater than the length of the slot in said insulating disk, a flat metal strip passing through the two above mentioned slots and having a lateral projection at its inner end contacting with the side of the insulating disk opposite said contact ring, and a coiled compression spring surrounding said strip and engaging said one closure and said insulating disk, said spring serving to movesaid contact ring and disk to a normally switch-open position and serving also to hold said insulating disk in engagement with said lateral projection of said strip.

2. A switch comprising a cylindrical metal casing wall having spaced internal contacts insulated from said wall, an insulating disk whose edge slidably engages the inner side of said wall and is formed with circumferentially spaced notches, a fiat contact ring engaging one side of said insulating disk and of less external diameter than said disk, whereby it is held by the disk against touching the aforesaid wall, the edge of said ring having disk embracing claws seated in the aforesaid notches, and a metal operating member for said insulating disk, said opera-ting member being secured to the disk and being thereby insulated from said .contact ring.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto atlixed my signature.

JOHN M. PETTUS.

CII 

